Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Ruling out the possibility of delay in the February 8 general election, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said the polls will be held on time, come what may.
Talking to journalists outside the Supreme Court on Monday, the former foreign minister said: “The election will be held on February 8 [as per schedule] even if [they] get a resolution passed from the United Nations (UN). He asked the nation to prepare for the upcoming elections in the country.
His remarks came days after the Senate approved a non-binding resolution seeking a delay in the general elections, set to be staged next month, drawing strong criticism from mainstream political parties.
Responding to a question, Bilawal asked if the words of a few senators have more weightage than those of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa.
In November last year, the top judge had remarked: “God willing, the elections will be held on February 8.” He made the remarks during the hearing of multiple pleas seeking timely elections within 90 days of the dissolution of the assemblies.
The apex court had ordered the caretaker set-up to ensure the conduct of general elections on February 8, a day after President Arif Alvi and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja unanimously agreed on the aforementioned date during a meeting held at the President’s House.
Bilawal hoped the PPP would sweep the upcoming elections, including in Karachi and Hyderabad. He vowed that his party would eliminate inflation, unemployment and poverty in the country. To another query, he hoped the PPP would get justice in the presidential reference pertaining to a death sentence awarded to former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Bilawal further said that it was an opportunity to fix the history, adding that all the stakeholders should admit their mistakes. He also hoped that the CJP and other judges would make decisions based on justice.
“We don’t think there is enough transparency in our system to award capital punishment to anyone,” he added.
Earlier, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Sunday challenged the Sharifs in fortress, asserting that the city of Lahore belonged to the PPP, a party that stands for the representation of the poor.
Speaking at a corner meeting in his National Assembly constituency, NA-127, Bilawal emphasized that Lahore does not solely belong to businessmen, traders, or sports figures, indirectly alluding to his political rivals in the PML-N and the PTI.
He asserted that the city truly belongs to Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
Without explicitly naming anyone, Bilawal said it was their misconception that attempts to intimidate the PPP through the martyrdom of its leaders Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto would be effective. Bilawal highlighted his familial connection to the city, where both his predecessors contested elections, and now he stands as a candidate in the same city.
In a clear reference to a PML-N leader, Bilawal questioned why certain individuals raised concerns about the PPP’s presence in Lahore. Referring to his political opponents, he said that they were the ones imposed by military figures like General Ziaul Haq, General Hameed Gul in Punjab, and General Faiz Hameed. He criticized traditional politicians, accusing them of promoting hate, division, and victimization, while positioning the PPP as a party representing the downtrodden and common people of Pakistan. Bilawal emphasized the PPP’s role as an alternative to traditional politics, boasting of its young leadership. Encouraging his supporters to represent him in the elections, he expressed confidence in their victory, envisioning success for the PPP and the people of Lahore.
